Trailers Videos - The Documentary Network

The Irish Pub

Documentary.net staff — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 06:35:19 +0000

THE IRISH PUB is a tribute to the greatest institution in Irish society, the pub or more specifically the traditional Irish publicans who run them.The characters in this film all run and own pubs that have been in their families for generations and it is through them that we gain an insight into the heart and soul of THE IRISH PUB.

Blackfish – Why keeping whales in captivity is insane

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:46:53 +0000

Blackfish tells the story of Tilikum, a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity. Along the way, director-producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite compiles shocking footage and emotional interviews to explore the creature’s extraordinary nature, the species’ cruel treatment in captivity, the lives and losses of the trainers and the pressures brought to bear by the multi-billion dollar sea-park industry. This emotionally wrenching, tautly structured story challenges us to consider our relationship to nature and reveals how little we humans have learned from these highly intelligent and enormously sentient fellow mammals.

Aliens of the Deep – James Cameron Documentary

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:39:56 +0000

James Cameron teams up with NASA scientists to explore the Mid-Ocean Ridge, a submerged chain of mountains that band the Earth and are home to some of the planet's most unique life forms. Cameron joins up aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh with a group of NASA scientists, as well as some American marine biologists, to investigate ten hydrothermal vents in both the Atlantic and Pacific. The vents have their own unique ecosystem, which support diverse organisms such as giant tube worms, swarms of blind white crabs, and vast amounts of shrimp which are capable of "seeing" water that is heated by the vents. These creatures do not require sunlight like other organisms, and instead obtain their energy from the vents. They are able to survive in the superheated and sulfurous water. Because of this, the documentary suggests that this is what life beyond Earth might look like. As some alien ecosystems are likely to be a lot harsher than a typical terrestrial ecosystem, these exotic vents provide an insight into some of the forms that alien life might take. The documentary shows Cameron's passion for exploring the oceans, as well as his interest in extraterrestrial life. It also showcases the technology employed to reach such depths.

Documentary about unmade “Superman Lives” by Tim Burton starring Nicolas Cage

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:14:07 +0000

A documentary about the proposed 1998 "Superman Lives" feature film that would have been the most original and strangest Superman ever. The Superman Lives film was to be based on a script by Kevin Smith and directed by Tim Burton. And best of it, it would also have featured Nicolas Cage as Superman. Doesn't this sound like an weired/awesome combo? Now director Jon Schnepp started a crowdfunding campaign to find out what happend to the planned production. So if you want this documentary to be made, support him. The story behind the project: The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened? is a Feature Length Documentary about the unmade movie "Superman Lives". This film, out of all the various attempts to make a Superman movie between 1987 and 2006, would have stood the test of time and become a bonafide Cult Classic nowadays. I am not alone with my intense interest in knowing everything I can about this project, and so now I'm embarking on making a Documentary that will cover everything ever made for this film, from interviewing as many people as I can who were involved, to including actually recreating scenes from the script!!! I’ve been interested in this film since it was first announced back in the late 90’s. Nicolas Cage was announced as Superman, Kevin Smith was announced as the Writer, Tim Burton was announced as the Director, and fans have had very heavy opinions, both positive and negative, on all of this. As news slowly bubbled out, news buzzed around about Rainbow Robot Outfits, Brainiac Skull ships, Superman not "flying", Fighting a Giant Spider, Polar Bears guarding the Fortress of Solitude. It all sounded so crazy, so weird, so different, that I honestly was hoping that they would actually make it, just so we would have something different from what had come before. It never happened. Cut to almost 15 years later, and I really wish I could slap that “Superman Lives” disc into my player, and watch this guaranteed weird, strange, and original new take on the mythology of the Superman character. By this time, whether it was a success or failure at the box office, It would have for sure been a cult classic, due mainly to its inspired casting, and its tremendous bravery in it’s attempt to merge toy sales with the weirdness. Be sure not to miss this video. Kevin Smith talks about Superman Lives. Great...

Supersize Me – Morgan Spurlock vs McDonald’s Fastfood

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 11:45:27 +0000

While examining the influence of the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month. Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he ate only McDonald's food. The film documents this lifestyle's drastic effect on Spurlock's physical and psychological well-being, and explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit. Spurlock dined at McDonald's restaurants three times per day, eating every item on the chain's menu at least once. Spurlock consumed an average of 20.92 megajoules or 5,000 kcal (the equivalent of 9.26 Big Macs) per day during the experiment. As a result, the then-32-year-old Spurlock gained 24½ lbs. (11.1 kg), a 13% body mass increase, a cholesterol level of 230, and experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver. It took Spurlock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife, a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes. The reason for Spurlock's investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U.S. society, which the Surgeon General has declared "epidemic," and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald's on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonald's food The documentary was nominated for an Academy Award for Documentary Feature. Claimed by Cinetic Media

Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:49:40 +0000

Over the The Replacements' 12-year existence, the band's live sets were magical. Gorman Bechard's remarkable history of the 'Mats takes us from their first show and everywhere in between. He relies solely on the fans; memories of their albums and antics. Material from Husker Dü, Babes in Toyland, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady, Archers of Loaf, Titus Andronicus, and Goo Goo Dolls is included. Dan Weiss writes about them:

No punk band was freer than the Replacements, which is why you never hear them talked about as spearheading some local scene. Sure, them and Husker Dü put Minneapolis on the map concurrently with Prince. But they weren’t part of a movement. They were misfits who covered KISS and Ted Nugent, turning the latter into a song about boners. Punk should only ever be associated with doing whatever the fuck you want, but it’s not; there are rules and codes and all sorts of wack stuff designed to make you strive for credibility. In an alternate universe where nobody thinks about that, the Replacements are king.

Resonance – Mobile Phone Technology Causing Cancer?

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:23:30 +0000

The film reveals how we have developed an amazing connection to the natural frequencies of the planet. connections which have been measured in science for 60 years and control our mental and physical health. it shows how all life has a magnetic sense through a protein cell called a crypto chrome. it proves that the demise of so many creatures is connected to the mobile phone explosion and reveals for the very first time the actual mechanism by which man made wireless frequencies are causing us all harm. Two billion years ago life first arrived on this planet; a planet, which was filled with a natural frequency. As life slowly evolved, it did so surrounded by this frequency. and Inevitably, it began tuning in. By the time mankind arrived on earth an incredible relationship had been struck; a relationship that science is just beginning to comprehend. Research is showing that being exposed to this frequency is absolutely integral to us. It controls our mental and physical health, it synchronizes our circadian rhythms, and it aids our immune system and improves our sense of wellbeing. Not only are we surrounded by natural frequencies, our bodies are filled with them too. Our cells communicate using electro magnetic frequencies. Our brain emits a constant stream of frequencies and our DNA delivers instructions, using frequency waves. Without them we couldn't exist for more than a second. This delicate balance has taken billions of years to perfect. But over the last 25 years the harmony has been disturbed. and disturbed dramatically. Mankind has submerged itself in an ocean of artificial frequencies. They are all around us, filling the air and drowning out the earth's natural resonance. To the naked eye the planet appears to be the same. But at a cellular level it is the biggest change that life on earth has endured; the affects of which we are just starting to see and feel. by James Russel and John k Webster

The War on Drugs – Breaking The Taboo

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:28:42 +0000

"A drug free world is a fantasy". The War on Drugs has failed. After 50 years of prohibition, illicit drugs are now the third most valuable industry in the world after food and oil, all in the control of criminals. Drugs are cheaper and more available than ever before. Millions of people are in prison for drugs offences. Corruption and violence, especially in producer and transit countries, endangers democracy. Tens of thousands of people die each year in drug wars. Breaking the Taboo was directed by Cosmo Feilding Mellen and Fernando Grostein Andrade, and is Narrated by Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. Featuring interviews with current and former presidents from around the world, such as Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, the film follows The Global Commission on Drug Policy on a mission to break the political taboo over the United States led War on Drugs and expose what it calls the biggest failure of global policy in the last 40 years. A Sundog Pictures and Spray Filmes production

Men at Lunch – Documentary about the Iconic Photo showing New York Construction Workers [TRAILER]

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:11:12 +0000

Everyone knows this world famous photo of construction workers taking a break in New York City. They are sitting next to each other eating lunch. Sounds quite normal but they are set at a very special location: On a long steel girder, high above (850 feet) the ground. Filmmaker Seán Ó Cualáin explores the story behind this photograph and focuses not so much on the technical part, instead he tries to peer into the photograph itself. The picture was taken on 29 September 1932 by Charles C. Ebbets during construction work of the GE building at Rockefeller Center. The official description of the film: New York City, 1932. The country is in the throes of the Great Depression, the previous decade's boom of Italian, Irish, and Jewish immigrants has led to unprecedented urban expansion, and in the midst of an unseasonably warm autumn, steelworkers risk life and limb building skyscrapers high above the streets of Manhattan. In Men at Lunch, director Seán Ó Cualáin tells the story of Lunch atop a Skyscraper, the iconic photograph taken during the construction of the GE Building that depicts eleven workmen taking their lunch break while casually perched along a steel girder, 850 feet above the ground. For decades, this image has captivated imaginations the world over. But who are these men? And where did they come from? Ever since the photograph was published anonymously in the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932, the men's identities have been a mystery. Many of those who have been fascinated by the photo throughout the years have shared the conviction that one of the workers is a distant relative; others, meanwhile, have questioned the photo's authenticity outright. Accessing the vast photography archives at Rockefeller Center and the Iron Mountain storage facility in Pennsylvania, Ó Cualáin follows the clues in an attempt to discover the photo's long-held secrets. With the meticulous, painstaking precision of a detective, Ó Cualáin tracks down the original glass-plate negative, and then reconstructs the photograph as a digital projection with actors recreating the workers' poses, allowing the minutiae of the image to be studied from every possible perspective. Interviews with archivists, photographers, and historians eventually uncover compelling evidence that a few of the photo's subjects may have roots in the small village of Shanaglish, Ireland. Yet no matter the secrets that Ó Cualáin uncovers in his dogged search, he is by no means seeking to dilute or demystify the magnetic power of the iconic image. Taken at a time when the utopian dreams of the previous decade had run up against desperate economic reality, the photograph speaks to the enduring fortitude of a nation of immigrants resolutely soldiering on, shrugging off their astonishing accomplishments as merely another day's honest work. As Men at Lunch eloquently demonstrates, the satisfaction of answers is perhaps dwarfed by the evocative power of the questions.

Meet The Dude behind The Dude

Documentary.net staff — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 06:15:20 +0000

In 1998, Joel and Ethan Coen released the film The Big Lebowski about an unemployed Los Angeles slacker who refers himself as "The Dude". It failed at the U.S box office, but over time it has taken on a rare cult-status. What many people do not know, is that "The Dude" is based on a real person. Meet the dude behind The Dude! Jeff Feuerzeig reveals the inspiration for the beloved central character in the Coen Brothers' cult-favorite film The Big Lebowski. This documentary short follows Jeff Dowd to a Lebowski Fest offering a glimpse into this fascinating subculture and colorful real-life character behind the iconic mythical Dude and the secret to how he always abides...

HOW I MET THE DUDE by Jeff Feuerzeig In 1986, twelve years before The Big Lebowski, first screenplay in hand, I flew from NY to LA, rented a car, and pulled up to The Dude's dilapidated apartment/office on the "boardwalk" of Venice Beach for my very first Hollywood meeting. As if on cue, this Avery Schreiber-looking mop-topped behemoth clad in super-tight grape smuggling polyester shorts and a hideous floral Hawaiian shirt rolled up on roller blades and welcomed me to paradise. While I stood on his sagging balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean watching all the blonde bikini-clad beach girls in leg warmers skate by, the Dude ransacked his living room, overturning stacks of unread scripts, looking for my screenplay, which I'm still not convinced he'd read. Finally locating it, he launched into an inspirational rant, this bear-like wild tangle of hair showering me with spittle as he gesticulated wildly, telling me with a straight face that I was “the next Cassavetes” and I was going to make films my own way. The Dude and I never did work together, but over the years we’d cross paths on the festival circuit, and it always warmed my heart that such a character, this true believer, was still carrying the torch for Independent film. When the Coen Brothers made The Big Lebowski in 1998, I sat in a darkened theater trying to reconcile the Dude I knew with the fictitious character Jeff Bridges was playing on screen -- Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski -- but I was not surprised in the least that the Coens found inspiration in the Dude. Jeff Dowd is a right of passage in the indie film world -- baptism by the Dude -- his spittle and good vibes setting you free to create a world of your own.

Marwencol – The fantasy world of Mark Hogancamp

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:35:35 +0000

Outside a small bar in Kingston, NY, Mark Hogancamp was beaten nearly to death, his memories wiped away. Seeking recovery, he builds Marwencol, a miniature World War II-era town filled with doll versions of his friends, fantasies, and even his attackers. As he documents the town’s dramas with his camera, the dolls become living characters in an epic tale of love, adventure, resurrection and revenge. When his photos are discovered by the art world, Mark is suddenly forced to choose between the safety of his imaginary world and the real world he’s avoided since the attack. Mark populates the town he dubs "Marwencol" with dolls representing his friends and family and creates life-like photographs detailing the town's many relationships and dramas. Playing in the town and photographing the action helps Mark to recover his hand-eye coordination and deal with the psychic wounds of the attack. When Mark and his photographs are discovered, a prestigious New York gallery sets up an art show. Suddenly Mark's homemade therapy is deemed "art", forcing him to choose between the safety of his fantasy life in Marwencol and the real world that he's avoided since the attack. "Marwencol" was released theatrically by the Cinema Guild and aired on PBS. It has won over 25 awards, including two Independent Spirit Awards, Best Documentary of the Year from the Boston Society of Film Critics and Rotten Tomatoes, and the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The Los Angeles Times calls the film “an exhilarating, utterly unique experience” while the Village Voice says that it's “exactly the sort of mysterious and almost holy experience you hope to get from documentaries and rarely do.” Update: Film not available online anymore, now on DVD

I Know That Voice [TRAILER]

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:52:23 +0000

A documentary on the mysterious world of "Voice Over & Voice Acting." A collections of the top voice actors, voice directors, casting voice directors, creators, agents, producers, engineers, mixers, voice teachers, voice school and all those involved in the booming voice-over industry. A film for anyone that wants to know what goes on behind the scenes in your favorite cartoons, animations, and anything to do with voice acting. This is the first trailer, film is still in production.

Shane McConkey Documentary [TRAILER]

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:53:45 +0000

"McConkey," a 90-minute documentary to be released in 2013, is a heartfelt examination of the legacy one athlete left to the progression of his sports, and the path he paved to conquer his dreams. Shane McConkey is revered as the pioneer of freeskiing and ski base jumping, and through his talent and unique outlook on life, he inspired countless lives. "McConkey" celebrates the life of one of the world's ultimate innovators From Wikipedia: "On March 26, 2009, Shane McConkey died while skiing in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. After performing a double back flip, McConkey intended to glide away in his wingsuit, "a stunt he's executed a number of times", according to a statement from Matchstick Productions, the company whose films McConkey often starred in. But McConkey struggled to release his skis. By the time he got them off, he'd been free-falling for 12 seconds and was too close to the ground for his wingsuit or parachute to do him any good. His parachute did not malfunction; it was never deployed. He died on the scene."

Improv Everywhere Documentary Film [Trailer]

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:41:28 +0000

Improv Everywhere is a New York City-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. The film features interviews with over 50 veteran Improv Everywhere performers, including some of our famous friends like Ben Folds, Aubrey Plaza, and Nick Kroll.

The Captains: A Documentary Film by William Shatner [Trailer]

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:58:50 +0000

William Shatner presents the feature documentary Star Trek fans have been waiting for. Since first soaring onto television screens in the mid 1960s, Star Trek has become one of the most beloved franchises of all time. The original Captain Kirk, William Shatner, travels around the globe to interview the elite group of actors (Patrick Stewart, Chris Pine, Scott Bakula, Avery Brooks and more) who have portrayed the role of Enterprise Captain, giving fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the pop culture phenomenon. Hilarious! Get the DVD at Amazon US